Creating awareness, educating people on butterfly conservation
Hyderabad: Butterflies conjure up images of colourful flowery meadows and sunny days. While the very sight of butterflies fluttering about from flower to flower is a treat for the sore eyes, very few actually know the complex process through which the butterfly takes its final shape. To understand and record the butterfly ecology in the […]
Hyderabad: Butterflies conjure up images of colourful flowery meadows and sunny days. While the very sight of butterflies fluttering about from flower to flower is a treat for the sore eyes, very few actually know the complex process through which the butterfly takes its final shape.
To understand and record the butterfly ecology in the State, a few enthusiasts in the city started an ‘Butterfly Conservation Society’, Hyderabad. Formed in 2005, the Society has been organising very impressive periodical programmes to create awareness and educate people on butterfly species and their conservation.
“Butterflies, though small, play a very significant role in the ecological system. They act as pollinators and as a food source for many other species,” shares G Sailu, an active member of the Society. “There are thousands of butterfly species, however, since they are easily scared and fly away, it is a task to record them. We conduct walks in Hyderabad and several places across Telangana to make people more aware about these species.”
He adds, “Apart from conducting walks for adults, we have also organised over hundred walks for school students across the State, who are interested in bird. We take them to the nearest park where they can observe and record the butterfly movements. Later we also conduct an informative session about theses colourful flying insects.”
Interestingly, these walks are not just for fun. The team has identified about 120 species of butterflies in Telangana so far. “When we venture into the wild, we record all the species we see and share the data with the regional Forest Officer.”
The Society, which was started by academics has managed to attract several people who want to enjoy nature while watching the butterflies. Although the walks had to stop due to the pandemic in 2020, the Society is busy planning a list of events for the upcoming weeks.
“Watching the butterflies is very relaxing. In fact, every time we go in the wild, we see something new and interesting. Over the years, many people, from different States of India have joined the Society. We have a very active Facebook and Instagram page where people can contact us. We also keep posting about our upcoming events,” he said.
Giving insight about where one can go to watch the butterflies in Hyderabad, Sailu says, “There are several places in the city, including the KBR Park, Nehru Zoological Park, Butterfly Garden Park and even the Biodiversity park, Gachibowli. However, there are many forest areas around the city where one can find some very vibrant butterflies.”
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